Environment

Brazilian physicist receives environmental award

José Goldemberg has received the Blue Planet Prize for his contribution to the development of clean sources of energy. Read more

New environmental initiatives in Amazon

The Brazilian government has announced new measures to combat illegal deforestation and promote sustainable development in the Amazon region. Read more

Co-operative boosts rural economy with hydro-power

The world’s leading green energy prize announced that Cooperativa Regional de Electrificação Rural do Alto Uruguai Ltda (CRERAL), a regional electrification co-operative operating in Erechim, South Brazil, is one of the pioneering renewable energy projects that will receive a prize of up to £20,000. Read more

President defends Brazilian biofuels

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has strongly rejected accusations that Brazil's sugarcane-based biofuels programme is harmful to the environment and a contributory factor in the increase in global food prices. Read more

Blacklist for main perpetrators of Amazon deforestation

Ibama has already identified the worst offenders in the states of Pará, Mato Grosso and Rondônia. Read more

Amazon deforestation falls by 20%

The third consecutive fall in annual deforestation means an aggregate reduction of almost 60% has been achieved since 2004. Read more

Sugarcane mills adhere to new environmental protocol

In São Paulo state, 79 sugarcane mills have made a formal commitment to end the practice of burning sugarcane fields prior to harvest. Read more

Brazil will reduce GHG emissions by 13 tons in 2008

By 2008, Brazil will have reduced the emission of greenhouse gases such as CO2 and methane gas, according to José Miguez, the Executive Secretary of the Inter-ministerial Committee on Climate Change. Read more

US-Brazilian Cooperation on biofuels

A meeting of the US-Brazil Steering Group took place in Brasilia on 20 August with the aim of furthering cooperation between the two countries in the area of biofuels. Read more

Government launches the National Clean Development Year

The Brazilian Government launched the National Clean Development Year on 17 July to tackle global warming and reduce CO2 emissions through Brazilian CDM (Clean Development Mechanism) projects in the context of sustainable development. Read more

Extra 18 million hectares of protected areas in Amazon

The Ministry of the Environment has announced that the Amazon Protected Areas Programme (ARPA), created in 2002, established 18 million hectares of protected areas in the region by 2006. Read more

Huge area of rainforest receives protected status

The state of Pará in northern Brazil has created the largest single conservation area on Earth, giving protected status to 15 million hectares of rainforest – an area larger than England. Read more

The Amazon is ours. It is not for sale

Article written jointly by Brazil's foreign, environment, and science & technology ministers, published in The Independent on 31 October 2006. Read more

Further fall in rate of Amazon deforestation

Figures released by the Environment Ministry show that the rate of deforestation in the Amazon is continuing to fall. Read more

Haiti shows interest in Brazilian biofuel technology

Brazil anticipates producing biofuel at a rate of 1 billion litres per year by the end of 2007, and Haiti is considering adopting aspects of the Brazilian model. Read more

Illegal trade in wild animals

Letter written by Ambassador José Mauricio Bustani, published in The Independent on 10 July 2006. Read more

The dangers of used-tyre imports

Article written by Environment Minister Marina Silva on 1 June 2006. Read more